Chicago Blackhawks’ 2 Former Jerseys Ranked Among All-Time Top 30

The Chicago Blackhawks are a storied NHL franchise, and that includes the jerseys the team does wear and has worn

Which Chicago Blackhawks jerseys do you like the most? The home reds? The road whites? One of the Winter Classic/Stadium Series alternations? I’m impartial to the alternate blacks that don’t get worn anymore (minus that one outdoor game, I guess).

Of course, the Blackhawks of years past have worn different sweaters from the ones seen today. In fact, the sweaters have changed quite frequently over the years.

Some of the old Blackhawks looks are the topic of this post, as NHL Network came out with a new rankings list Monday. Thankfully, it’s less inane than the top goaltenders list they released not that long ago.

This time, we’ve got NHL Network’s top 30 NHL jerseys of all time. The Chicago Blackhawks boast two entries, rating sixth and 25th on the list.

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• The Jersey Numbers Never Worn in Blackhawks History

Before we dive into the Blackhawks’ included jersey designs, here’s the full list:

For those unable to see or read that, here’s the list typed out:

1. Quebec Nordiques, 1991-95
2. Minnesota North Stars, 1981-88
3. Montreal Canadiens, 1984-97
4. Hartford Whalers, 1985-89
5. San Jose Sharks, 1991-97
6. Chicago Blackhawks, 1973-77
7. New York Rangers, 1970-76
8. New York Islanders, 1978-84
9. Edmonton Oilers, 1981-94
10. Los Angeles Kings, 1988-91
11. Pittsburgh Penguins, 1988-92
12. Boston Bruins, 1981-95
13. Detroit Red Wings, 1961-72
14. Toronto Maple Leafs, 1963-67
15. Kansas City Scouts, 1974-75
16. New Jersey Devils, 1992-2007
17. Philadelphia Flyers, 1984-97
18. Buffalo Sabres, 1970-77
19. Los Angeles Kings, 1967-77
20. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 1993-96
21. California Golden Seals, 1974-76
22. Vancouver Canucks, 1992-95
23. Colorado Rockies, 1976-77
24. Phoenix Coyotes, 1996-98
25. Chicago Blackhawks (alternate), 1996-99
26. Dallas Stars, 1993-94
27. Winnipeg Jets, 1980-90
28. Calgary Flames, 1981-94
29. Montreal Canadiens, 1941-44
30. Montreal Maroons, 1925-29

The Blackhawks are one of just a few active teams to be listed on here twice. The Canadiens and Kings also doubled up, though different iterations of teams are on this list.

For example, the Scouts became the Rockies, who became the Devils. The North Stars are now the Stars, and the Golden Seals eventually folded into a team that merged with the North Stars. Hockey history is fun, right?

Looking at the Blackhawks’ entries

So let’s start with the No. 6 entry on the list, which … honestly isn’t a whole lot different from what we see the Blackhawks wear today. But there are certainly differences.

The biggest one is that the 1973-77 unis did not have player names on the back. They just had an Indian Head on the front, very much like today’s, and a number on the back. The black and red stripes on the jersey have also grown some since these jerseys were in use.

Another different is a tan outline around the Indian Head. That disappeared in 1999. But besides those items, this is quite a bit like the jersey we all know and love today, so it’s no surprise the red and white versions rank highly on NHL Network’s list.

Now, the other Blackhawks entry on this list … that’s where it’s at. It’s almost entirely the same as the most-recent black alternates Chicago donned, which the team stopped wearing after the 2008-09 season. The only difference is that tan outline around the Indian Head, which was part of the original alternate blacks that came about in 1996.

I really love both of these selections on the list. I think the Blackhawks have great jerseys, even today. Maybe they’ve had some missteps when it comes time to design an outdoor look, but their regular fatigues are excellent. I just wish they’d bring back the black jerseys as an alternate.

Other thoughts on the list

I wish I could drop in photos of each jersey on this list, but I’m unable to do so. I’d suggest heading to www.nhluniforms.com, where you can see uniforms from seemingly every NHL team that has ever existed.

I can’t say I’m enough of a jersey expert to surmise if putting the Nordiques’ last-ever look at the top of this list is good or bad. But just looking at the jerseys, I’d say it’s a pretty good choice. I have a bit of a soft spot for lighter-blue colored uniforms, and Quebec’s last one was very clean and simple.

I think it was cool to add the jerseys of bygone teams on this list. I especially like the inclusion of the Rockies’ and Golden Seals’ unis. I’d buy a Rockies jersey right now, to be totally honest.

I do have one qualm, and that’s the inclusion of the Phoenix Coyotes’ old jersey above the Blackhawks’ alternate black. That goofy jersey with a weird, decked-out coyote … I don’t know. It doesn’t do much for me. The whole jersey kind of looks like a weird tapestry from the History Channel.

Next: Blackhawks' Hot And Not: Panrin Heats Up

Anyway, take a look at all the jerseys and let us know what you think about the inclusions in the comments section, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.